top definitions
quizzes
related content
examples
explore dictionary
british
medical
scientific
cultural
idioms and phrases

gassing

[ gas-ing ]

/ ˈgæs ɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR gassing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an affecting, overcoming, or poisoning with gas or fumes.

the act of a person or thing that gasses.

a process by which something is gassed, as in fumigation.

the evolution of gases during electrolysis.

QUIZZES

THIS 5TH GRADE VOCABULARY QUIZ COVERS ALL THE BASICS

This teacher-developed 5th grade word list covers all the basics to prepare students for middle school.

Question 1 of 10

compact

joined or packed together; closely and firmly united; dense; solid.

ready or inclined to fight.

not participating actively.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of gassing

gas + -ing¹

Words nearby gassing

gassed, gassendi, gasser, gasserian, gasserian ganglion, gassing, gassy, gast, gastarbeiter, gaster, gasteropod

Definition for gassing (2 of 2)

gas

[ gas ]

/ gæs /

noun, plural gas·es or gas·ses.

Physics. a substance possessing perfect molecular mobility and the property of indefinite expansion, as opposed to a solid or liquid.

any such fluid or mixture of fluids.

any such fluid used as an anesthetic, as nitrous oxide: Did the dentist give you gas for your extraction?

any such combustible fluid used as fuel: Light the gas in the oven.

Automotive.

gasoline.
Also called gas pedal. the foot-operated accelerator of an automotive vehicle: Take your foot off the gas.

flatus.

Coal Mining. an explosive mixture of firedamp with air.

an aeriform fluid or a mistlike assemblage of fine particles suspended in air, used in warfare to asphyxiate, poison, or stupefy an enemy.

Slang.

empty talk.
a person or thing that is very entertaining, pleasing, or successful: The party was an absolute gas, and we loved it.
a person or thing that affects one strongly.

verb (used with object), gassed, gas·sing.

to supply with gas.

to overcome, poison, or asphyxiate with gas or fumes.

to singe (yarns or fabrics) with a gas flame to remove superfluous fibers.

to treat or impregnate with gas.

Slang.

to talk nonsense or falsehood to.
to amuse or affect strongly: Her weird clothes really gas me.

verb (used without object), gassed, gas·sing.

to give off gas, as a storage battery being charged.

Slang.

to indulge in idle, empty talk.
to become drunk (often followed by up).

Verb Phrases

gas up, to fill the gasoline tank of an automobile, truck, or other vehicle.

Origin of gas

1650–60; coined by J. B. van Helmont (1577–1644), Flemish chemist; suggested by Greek cháos atmosphere

OTHER WORDS FROM gas

gas·less, adjectivenon·gas, noun, plural non·gas·es.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gas

fluid gas liquid (see synonym study at liquid)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for gassing

Bashar al-Assad is probably the first head of state to have improved his international status by gassing his own people.
For Bashar Al-Assad, Crossing Obama's Red Line Was a Win-Win|Anna Momigliano|November 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
If this gassing is too violent, a considerable amount of active material will be blown from the plates.
The Automobile Storage Battery|O. A. Witte
Still, I'm not gassing when I tell you I knew all about it before.
The Sign of the Spider|Bertram Mitford
As I have told you, he goes and cures people when they are ill, instead of gassing about it.
The House of Defence v. 2|E. F. Benson

With constant potential charging, as with constant current charging, the two things to watch are temperature and gassing.
The Automobile Storage Battery|O. A. Witte
And we have been sitting here, gassing, whilst— He broke off abruptly.
The Lady of North Star|Ottwell J. Binns

British Dictionary definitions for gassing (1 of 2)

gassing

/ (ˈɡæsɪŋ) /

noun

the act or process of supplying or treating with gas

the affecting or poisoning of persons with gas or fumes

the evolution of a gas, esp in electrolysis

British Dictionary definitions for gassing (2 of 2)

gas

/ (ɡæs) /

noun plural gases or gasses

a substance in a physical state in which it does not resist change of shape and will expand indefinitely to fill any container. If very high pressure is applied a gas may become liquid or solid, otherwise its density tends towards that of the condensed phaseCompare liquid (def. 1), solid (def. 1)

any substance that is gaseous at room temperature and atmospheric pressure

any gaseous substance that is above its critical temperature and therefore not liquefiable by pressure aloneCompare vapour (def. 2)

a fossil fuel in the form of a gas, used as a source of domestic and industrial heatSee also coal gas, natural gas
(as modifier)a gas cooker; gas fire

a gaseous anaesthetic, such as nitrous oxide

mining firedamp or the explosive mixture of firedamp and air

the usual US, Canadian, and New Zealand word for petrol See also gasoline

step on the gas informal

to increase the speed of a motor vehicle; accelerate
to hurry

a toxic or suffocating substance in suspension in air used against an enemy

informal idle talk or boasting

slang a delightful or successful person or thinghis latest record is a gas

US an informal name for flatus

verb gases, gasses, gassing or gassed

(tr) to provide or fill with gas

(tr) to subject to gas fumes, esp so as to asphyxiate or render unconscious

(intr) to give off gas, as in the charging of a battery

(tr) (in textiles) to singe (fabric) with a flame from a gas burner to remove unwanted fibres

(intr foll by to) informal to talk in an idle or boastful way (to a person)

(tr) slang, mainly US and Canadian to thrill or delight

Derived forms of gas

gasless, adjective

Word Origin for gas

C17 (coined by J. B. van Helmont (1577–1644), Flemish chemist): modification of Greek khaos atmosphere

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for gassing (1 of 2)

gassing

[ găs′ĭng ]

n.

Poisoning by irrespirable or otherwise noxious gases.

Medical definitions for gassing (2 of 2)

gas

[ găs ]

n. pl. gas•es

The state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by relatively low density and viscosity, relatively great expansion and contraction with changes in pressure and temperature, the ability to diffuse readily, and the spontaneous tendency to become distributed uniformly throughout any container.

A substance in the gaseous state.

A gaseous fuel, such as natural gas.

Gasoline.

A gaseous asphyxiant, an irritant, or a poison.

A gaseous anesthetic, such as nitrous oxide.

Flatulence.

Flatus.

v.

To treat chemically with gas.

To overcome, disable, or kill with poisonous fumes.

To give off gas.

Scientific definitions for gassing

gas

[ găs ]

One of four main states of matter, composed of molecules in constant random motion. Unlike a solid, a gas has no fixed shape and will take on the shape of the space available. Unlike a liquid, the intermolecular forces are very small; it has no fixed volume and will expand to fill the space available.

Other words from gas

gaseous adjective (găs′ē-əs, găsh′əs)

Cultural definitions for gassing

gas

In physics, one of the phases of matter. The atoms or molecules in gases are more widely spaced than in solids or liquids and suffer only occasional collisions with one another.

Idioms and Phrases with gassing

gas

In addition to the idiom beginning with gas

gas up

also see:

cook with gas
run out of steam (gas)

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

gassing

noun

QUIZZES

THIS 5TH GRADE VOCABULARY QUIZ COVERS ALL THE BASICS

Origin of gassing

Words nearby gassing